Who is who in the Gita
Bhishma
Grand elder of the Kuru house; revered warrior and guardian of the dynasty.
Who is Bhishma in the Bhagavad Gita?
Grand elder of the Kuru house; revered warrior and guardian of the dynasty. When Krishna places Arjuna before Bhishma and Drona, the Gita makes duty personal. Bhishma embodies the tragedy of loyalties that cannot be cleanly separated.
Hansi Gita Bhawan Trust · The Gita for Life
Who he is
Born Devavrata, grand elder of the Kuru house. His famous vow renouncing kingship and marriage is a foundational event in the dynasty’s history in the Adi Parva (Vyasa, trans. Ganguli, 1883–1896, Adi Parva).
The tragedy of his position
He has protected the Kuru throne across generations and is revered by both sides, yet commands Duryodhana’s army. For Arjuna, Bhishma is not merely an enemy general; he is an elder woven into his own formation and family memory.